Life is crazy these days. As a testimony to that fact, I am writing this blog while sitting in a waiting room in Guatemala City because it is the only free moment I can find to write. I have never been busier in my life than I am these days, but I am so grateful for what I am seeing God do which has led to this busyness.
Las week, Gerardo, April and our friends Casey and Carmen Stickley joined me on a trip to San Pablo La Laguna. Because of the nature of many of the families we are working with in that area, we decided to make it a three day trip. We should have planned for four.
On the way up we stopped in to visit Dionisio in Panabajal Comolapa. You will recall that he is the young father who was robbed and shot twice, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. As a result, his 14 year old son has dropped out of school and is working in the fields to provide for the family. We are still awaiting a shipment of wheelchairs from the states that will enable us to provide him with the appropriate wheelchair, but we wanted to stop and deliver the money he needs to purchase his catheters and bags and visit with the family. They are a Christ-following family and it is evident in their peace and joy in spite of their situation.
We continued up to the lake and arrived around 7:00 pm and checked into a cheap hotel near the water. We were up early the next morning and headed out to meet our translator and guide, Michel. (Most of the people in this area speak Tzutujil, not Spanish.)
Our first stop was at the home of Maria. You might remember that her mother was very sceptical when we offered to help because so many others had made promises of assistance but have not followed through. I wish you could have seen the look on her face when we pushed Maria's new wheelchair into the home. As we took the time to custom fit it for her daughter, she told us that she couldn't believe she actually had a wheelchair now. She told us that Maria kept asking to go for walks, but she couldn't carry her far. The cried as she told us that now she can take her for long walks.
Once the chair was adjusted, we took Maria out on the street and I raced her up and down the hill in front of their home while she laughed. I have never seen a happier little girl. It is moments like these that make it worth all the work and effort, sweat and tears. Thanks to another sponsor we were also able to deliver diapers and basket of food to her family. By the time we left, her mother was overwhelmed and praising God for His provision.
From there we went to Lucia's house. Lucia is seven and has suffered severe seizures and spasms that bend her backward. She is unable to sit or lie flat as a result. We arranged for them to come to Hermano Pedro and see a neurologist in February. They will be coming back to Antigua for more tests and a follow-up appointment with the neurologist in April. In the meantime, the doctor has placed her on anti-seizure medication, so we wanted to check-up and see how she was doing. Her mom told us that she was almost out of the medication, but she wasn't sure it was helping. As a result, we decided not to provide any more meds until she saw the neurologist.
However, that changed when we received a call from Michel on Saturday evening after we had returned home. He told us that Lucia's mom had come to tell him that after her meds wore off Lucia got much worse. She was crying out in pain and seizing horribly. So, we made a late evening call to our pharmacy who delivered the meds to my home. Then, on Sunday morning, Gerardo took the chicken bus back up to San Pablo (about a 5 hour ride) to deliver the meds. (The region of San Pablo does not have much in the way of well-equipped pharmacies. As a result, they could not get the required meds locally.) Once she resumed the meds, she improved quickly.
While we were visiting Lucia, we realized that her mother cannot afford formula. As a result, she was feeding her crushed tomatoes, the only thing she had. Knowing the Lucia is already malnourished, we realized that we needed to intervene. So, we went to a local tienda and purchased formula to last for the month. Beginning next month, we will begin provide our specially mixed formula to combat malnutrition.
After that we visited with Ana Rosario. This 28 year old was born with cerebral palsy and suffered from seizures. Then, about 11 months ago, she suffer a series of severe seizures that left her almost catatonic. As I write this, Gerardo is with her and her family at Hermano Pedro for neurology appointment. The doctor will be analyzing the CAT scan we had done on her yesterday and hopefully providing medication to help. During our time with them yesterday we found out that this precious lady was raped when she was 13 years old. She got pregnant but then suffered complications and lost the baby. They told us that they observed a worsening of her symptoms after that trauma, but had been relatively stable until last year. This has left us wondering which of her symptoms are physical, which are emotional and which are spiritual. We were blessed to have two Christian doctors who worked with her yesterday. They gave good counsel to the family and spent time praying over Ana.
The rest of the day in San Pablo was spent doing follow up with three other children, including Mariano. He is 14 and struggles with learning disabilities, behavioral issues, and severe headaches. He, too, came to Hermano Pedro and was examined by a neurologist and placed on medicines. I am pleased to report that he is doing much better. As a result, we need to find a sponsor for the cost of his meds. (More below.)
The next morning (Friday) we met Michel again as he planned to take us to visit four families. As it turned out, we only got around to two of them as they consumed our remaining time and left our entire team quite broken.
The first one we visited was beautiful little Marta. This 12 year old took away my breath when I entered their home. She has CP and her growth is stunted by malnutrition. She only weighs 14.5 pounds. (I know, it is hard to believe. In fact, I double and triple checked the scales to make sure.) I have seen a lot since we began ministering in Guatemala, but this took my brokeness to a whole new level. I held her, prayed for her and choked back tears.
Let me be clear that Marta has a wonderful family that loves her very much. But due to her CP she cannot eat solid foods and her family has been unable to afford the formula she needs. At this point, I faced a difficult decision. My first inclination was to immediately load up the 4-Runner with her and her family and take them to Hermano Pedro to check her into the malnutrition ward. However, that has to be weighed against the fact that she has a loving family that she loves in return. In her weakened state, ripping her away from her family could cause her to stop fighting and die. After taking time to pray for wisdom, I 
sensed the Lord saying to leave her with her family and give them the resources they need. So, several of our team went out to purchased more formula while we completed the evaluation.
We have spoken with the family and they have agreed to try our formula for the next couple of months. If she does not begin gaining weight they have agreed to check her into Hermano Pedro. Please pray for little Marta.
We then went to Oscar's home. He is 28 and is married. Until two years ago he was healthy and working in a avocado grove. Then he fell from one of the trees and broke his back. He is now paralyzed from the waist down. As we visited, he told us that he suffered from pressure sores, so we took him in to his bed to do an examination. (His bed has no mattress and only has a thin sheet of foam over plywood.) As I removed his bandages my breath was once again stolen from me. I have never seen such severe bedsores as those that covered his hips, buttocks and lower back. Several of them went almost to the bone.
I remember as a five year old trying to swim across a pool, only to run out of energy half way across and start to go under. I thought, "I can't do this!" That was how I felt kneeling on the dirt floor next to Oscar's bed...in way over my head and completely inadequate. I cried out to God, hoping that He would help, just as my earthly dad did in the swimming pool.
I called Dick Rutgers to ask for prayer. He was with Mark Richardson, so Dick handed him the phone and Mark proceeded to tell me that he had recently met a wound specialist near the lake who spoke Tzutujil. He gave me her number and I thought my prayer was answered...until we called her. She told us that she didn't have time and we should just take Oscar to the Solola hospital, the same hospital that was already failing to treat him properly. Another option was to take him to one of the wound clinics in Chimaltenango or Guatemala City. But both of these are very expensive and neither his family or we could afford that.
So, I found myself once again kneeling by Oscar's bed teaching his mother and father how to make saline solution and how to clean, debride and pack his sores. I am not a doctor. We make that clear to each family we visit. I am not comfortable treating people's illnesses and injuries because I know that I am way under-qualified. What if I make a mistake and kill someone? That is one of my greatest fears. At the same time, what do you do when you are all that the patient has? Without treatment, Oscar will die. With my treatment, he might die. And that is how this pastor with a degree in Christian Education finds himself treating bedsores, malnutrition and a myriad of other illnesses and injuries. (Please note: Our first, second and third options are to always get the person to a good doctor. I only put on rubber gloves when every other option has run aground.)
Someone has now donated a memory foam mattress which we will take to Oscar at the end of March. I will also take an air cushion for his wheelchair along with lots of gauze and tape along to treat his pressure sores.
So, with all of these stories told, I need your help. We urgently need sponsors for the people below. As always, if you sponsor a family 100% of you donation will go directly to the family. None will be taken to cover the cost of administration or delivery. If you are willing and able to help with one of these needs, please e-mail me at daryl@hopeforhome.org.
Dionisio – He and his family need a basket of food each month along with Q.90 for catheters and bags. The total cost of sponsorship is $41 a month.
Lucia - We need a sponsor for her monthly medications and formula which total $95 a month. Without these meds, she cries and spasms horribly, almost doubling over backward. Without the formula, she will continue to lose weight. Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Mariano - We need a sponsor for his monthly meds which cost $55 a month. Without these meds he suffers severe headaches and a behavioral disorder.
Marta - This little girl desperately needs formula and diapers. The total cost for both of these is only $20 a month.
Oscar - We would like to have a sponsor to cover the cost of gauze, tape and other supplies for treating his pressure sores. The estimated cost is $12 a month.
Ana Rosario – I just received a call from Gerardo. The doctor has placed her on medicine for her seizures and also given her a prescription for medicine for a pressure sore they discovered. The total month cost will be $49.
We also ask you to please pray for God's provision for our ministry. We are currently spending a lot of money of trips, doctor appointments and testing. Each time we bring in a family to Hermano Pedro for evaluation it averages costing our ministry about $175 for transportation, lodging, meals, appointments and testing. Thus far God has provided just what we need when we need it. Please pray with us for His continued blessings.
That's all for now. Blessings from Guatemala!
Daryl, Wanda and the Crew
